Instead of starting for the national championship favorite, Eric Paschall could be back in The Bronx, finishing his final year at Fordham.

Instead of being one game from the Final Four, the Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., native would likely have never experienced the NCAA Tournament.

“That crosses [your] mind,” the Villanova forward told The Post on Saturday. “Everybody has those what if’s. What if I stayed? What if I went to another school? But I felt like I made the right decision.”

If Tom Pecora didn’t get fired after going 10-21 in Paschall’s freshman season, there may never been a decision to make.

“I love him to death, and I’ll always keep in contact with him. I had such a close relationship with him, so [his firing] definitely had something to do with it,” said Paschall, who was the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year. “Fordham wasn’t a bad experience.”

Eric PaschallGetty Images

But it was then Paschall realized what experience he desired.

“I just wanted to be a part of something as special as this,” Paschall said. “I definitely changed up the way I played. I knew what I was getting into. Of course, I was like the main guy at Fordham, but I had no problems sacrificing my game for this. You see it’s worth it. We’re a good team every year, and it means a lot to be a part of this culture.”

Paschall was part of the championship ride with Villanova two years ago, but was just a passenger, sitting out the season as a transfer.

He couldn’t travel with the team, or sit on the bench, per NCAA rules, but he speaks of the run with as much enthusiasm as Jalen Brunson or Mikal Bridges.

“It was great. Coach made me feel like I was part of the team, and I helped every way I could, and with the scouting report,” Paschall said. “Going to Houston and seeing how special that is, and seeing the possibilities for this team was a great experience.”

Now, he may be one of the reasons the Wildcats raise another banner.

Though Paschall takes nearly half as many shots as he did as a freshman at Fordham, the 6-foot-9 forward has been invaluable for the undersized Wildcats, playing nearly 30 minutes per game, and averaging 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds. 2.3 assists and one steal.

In the Sweet 16 win over West Virginia, Paschall had 14 points, and authored one of the game’s most exciting highlights, throwing down a two-handed slam over acclaimed shot-blocker Sagaba Konate late in the second half to help Villanova complete its comeback.

How easily it could have never happened. How easily it could have never been seen.

“He understands the game, he can defend, he can rebound and he can make plays for everybody,” teammate Donte DiVincenzo said. “We knew he was a freak athlete, but we didn’t know how good of a basketball player he was until this point.”